In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in Deir Nidham, injuring a woman and 2 children with pepper spray and damaging vehicles with stones. Israeli settlers also attack a Palestinian herder in al-Twana. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers steal 17 sheep in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli settlers also throw stones at Palestinian vehicles traveling near Umm Safa. Israeli forces shoot and kill a Palestinian man during a raid in Qalandia refugee camp. Israeli forces also shoot and injure a Palestinian man during a raid Bethlehem. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently disperse Palestinians protesting in Beita and Yatma, causing tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also arrest 4 Palestinians during raids in Yatta, Idhna, and Dura. In Gaza, Israeli forces bomb Nuseirat refugee camp, Jabalia refugee camp, Beit Hanun, Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Maghazi, and Beit Lahiya. The Ministry of Health in Gaza does not publish an updated death toll. In Lebanon, Israeli forces bomb 2 buildings in the Dahieh neighborhood in Beirut, assassinating Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, killing 49 others, including at least 3 children and 7 women, and wounding at least 60. Israeli forces also bomb Kafr Kila, Aitaroun, Meiss Ej Jabel, Taybeh, Odeisseh, and Yaroun. Hezbollah forces fire rockets at the Meron base in the Golan Heights and at Safed. In Syria, Israeli forces bomb a vehicle near Damascus Airport, killing one person. (AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AX, HA, HA, NYT, NYT, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/20; AJ, AJ, AP, AP, AP, AX, NYT, NYT, NYT, NYT, REU 9/21; AJ, HA 9/22; UNOCHA 9/23)
More than 41,272 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, including at least 16,456 children and 11,088 women, and around 95,551 have been injured since 10/7/2023. At least 10,000 people are missing in rubble. 706 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 10/7/2023, including 151 children. More than 5,420 people have been injured. Israel reports that 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and 5,400 have been injured in Israel since 10/7/2023, including Israeli soldiers. In addition, 346 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 2,281 injured in Gaza since the ground invasion began on 10/27/2023. Over 1.93 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since 10/7/2023. There has been a complete electricity blackout in Gaza since 10/12/2023 due to the Israeli blockade. At least 79,000 housing units have been destroyed and 370,000 have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes since 10/7/2023. The PA is allowed to send medicine and medical supplies to Gaza for the first time since October 2023. The UN says Israel denied or impeded 46% of humanitarian missions in Gaza in August. (AJ, HA, UNOCHA, UNOCHA 9/20)
Axios reports that U.S. officials are concerned Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich will cut off Palestinian banks from the Israeli financial system on 10/31 when the current banking correspondence authorization ends. (AJ, AX 9/20)
The Israeli Foreign Ministry says Israel has submitted 2 legal briefs to the ICC, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction in the case against Israel and that it is not allowing Israel to investigate itself. (AJ, AP, HA, HA, REU 9/20)
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says the U.S. has reached out to Israel to make sure it investigates the incident from 9/19 where 3 Palestinians were shot and thrown off a roof by Israeli soldiers in Qabatiya. Kirby says that if the footage of the incident is corroborated “it clearly would depict abhorrent and egregious behavior by professional soldiers.” President Joe Biden indicates that he still believes that a ceasefire deal can be reached but that there is “a way to go.” (AJ, AP 9/20)
The UN Security Council convenes to discuss the Israeli attacks on people in Lebanon using electronic devices on 9/17 and 9/18. UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk calls the attacks a war crime, intended to spread terror among civilians. Lebanese foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib warns that if the Security Council does not compel Israel to stop attacking Lebanon it will lead to “the great explosion that is looming on the horizon.” (AJ, AP, HA, HA 9/20; AJ, AP, AP 9/21)